8.9.2016

Duncurin has been reviewing this excellent neat machine courtesy of Omron and Vine. Omron, of course, needs no introduction in this field. It’s a typical and all-pervading medical equipment specialist, which I think is Japanese but has assembly, as is the way these days, ‘offshore’. It’s most likely, too, that your GP will, since we were forced to abandon our mercury Sphymomanometers, have this brand on his/her desk. The M3 Comfort is a nice little machine, there are no bells and whistles, no fancy software, no wireless link, no online decision support software – just a good bread-and-butter BP machine which has had as many of the variables to getting poor results dialled out so that the usercan simply get on with measuring his/her BP with accuracy and without fuss.It comes in a nice box which has the salient, but vital, points printed on its sides. Inside the box one will find the BP unit, a nice curly cuff, batteries, a storage case and a multi-leaflet describing its use in many languages. One folded leaflet for each. This is nice touch rather than the thick multi-lingual manual with just one or two pages pertaining to one’s country.I ran it against my Accosson Greenlight; this is a superlative BP machine, which in my view should be on every GP’s desk. The Omron, however, compares nicely for accuracy against this and is quicker and easier for the home BP tester to gain familiarity with and hence use. It has an unambiguous large and clear display and the colour will change according to the readings. There is a memory function, which extends to two people so it’s ideal for his-n-hers and also a guest reading so that one can impress one’s neighbours with one’s skills.The curly cuff is designed to make sure that it is applied to the correct circumference of arms, note the 22-42cms on the box. It’s a bit lively as one threads one’s arm into it, but take your time to seat it properly and in the correct way. Nice graphics help with this and don’t ignore them. This is a standard cuff size. If your arm falls outside this then simply buy a cuff that fits as it might just save your life. Also make sure that said cuff is then positioned properly. If you need to take your shirt off or slip an arm out of your angora cardy then please do this. Also position your body correctly and support it so that it’s more or less level with your heart. Think sweet thoughts, your next holiday, breathe slowly and don’t think about the tax demand that’s just fallen on your mat! The machine will indicate if the cuff is positioned properly, if you are wriggling or more seriously if your heart is in an unusual rhythm. If the latter then please seek out you local GP as he/she will want to clarify this. Otherwise simply press the button and wait for it to do its stuff. The display will give you some idea if your readings are within the acceptable range.The machine is designed for use on the upper arm. I am not a big fan of those machines that go round one's wrist or finger as I just don't think they are accurate.If we were driving on holiday I am sure that many of us would check the oil level or the tyre pressures and yet so many have no idea what their blood pressure readings are, in an infinitely more sophisticated ‘machine’ that we have all been entrusted with. Forget a thousand miles of motorway crash barrier or dietary advice or alcohol advice (nice though these things are!) – we would save many more lives much more easily and quickly by simply measuring everyone’s blood pressure. Simple, cost effective and easy to use machines such as this would bring this within everyone’s reach. No home should be without one! Many thanks.

10.9.2016

Currently I'm checking my blood pressure three times a day thanks to a less than wonderful seafarers medical check seven weeks ago. I am using my Omron MT-10 which I've had for about five years and is identical to the ones you see in most GP and medical centres. In fact I bought it because of that reason.Bottom line is that Omron is the choice of professionals so I'm not going to argue with that regardless of how good other brands are.So, is this any good. Absolutely. It is calibrated and is as accurate as the machines that your local quack will use and is able to give you all the essential information you need to decide if you are an athlete, need to lose the lard, need medical help or the services of a will writer.It will detect abnormal heart beats as well as the usual systolic, diastolic and BPM.In use it is easy to use by yourself with a cuff that covers small to the large. It does state that you might need different sizes but my wife is a slim 5'2" lady and my arms are around 19" and this fits well. I doubt that anyone looking at this machine will need another size. You simply attach the upper arm cuff with the velcro and press the start. Everything else is automatic.Results are stored in the memory and you can set this up for two people so you can share the misery with your missus on a daily basis.Now, here is were it differs from mine and why I have dropped a star. You can't upload the data via PC (or any other device) - you have to do it manually if you want to record on a spreadsheet your progress. Not the end of the world but my older one does that and it is a useful function if you want to keep records for example, doctor's or even just checking your progress, good or bad.That being said, like other Omron products it is well made and has the air or professionalism around it. I have absolutely no doubt that this is a properly good and reliable machine. Over a week I have used this along with my other unit and it is - within the biological reality of being a few minutes apart - within a couple of points up or down on both diastolic and systolic pressures. It is accurate.Now, a little diversion for those interested in their blood pressure. When I had my medical I nearly failed it which, was a surprise given that I hit the gym every day. Essentially the doctor said he could see that but two things. Yes, I had a lot of muscle bulk but I'd hidden quite a bit under the the layer of middle aged lard and secondly my blood pressure was borderline needing medical help with tablets. Not something I really wanted yet. As part of the medical one now gets a bit of advice and his followed the latest guidelines which is that sugar is the real problem. Not only does it lay down in fat around internal organs but sugar spikes your blood pressure via the insulin process. So i was advised to read and follow the 8 week blood sugar diet which I did. Within one week my pressure was down to better than good and within five weeks I'd lost a stone and a half.And using a blood pressure monitor is both useful and interesting. I could follow daily the improvement and of course getting used to using one means that you get over the white coat syndrome. Therefore regardless of which type you use - although I would always recommend Omron - getting one is a good thing to do for your health.

5.9.2016

The Omron M3 Comfort strikes a sensible balance between features and ease of use. I like the way that the instructions are supplied in many languages, but each language is printed on its own sheet of paper so you can recycle the ones that aren't relevant and save yourself from keeping a great big book of instructions 95% of which are irrelevant.So, what are the M3 Comfort's features? Obviously it gives you your blood pressure, and I've found it gives consistent readings over time, unlike my old and useless blood pressure meter that you wrap around your wrist.It's called a Comfort model because the thing you strap around your arm contains a flexible curved sheet of plastic so it's very easy to put on.The downside to this is that it doesn't pack down into quite such a small bag for storage, but this is a tradeoff I'm happy to make. So, you strap it around your upper arm, press the blue Start/Stop button, it thinks for a second or two, inflates, deflates and gives you your readings.The readings are easy to see on the screen with the diastolic and systolic numbers being very big, your pulse rate slightly smaller, and a useful graph up the side that shows whether you fit within the healthy range. There are two orange lights that show whether your diastolic or systolic numbers are higher than would be healthy. The M3 is quite triangular shaped when you view it from the side and this means you can easily see the screen when you're seated next to it. You need to be seated in order to get accurate results. Once again though, as with the arm strap, this irregular shape means it occupies an unusual shape when you store it away in the supplied bag. It might be helpful if the bag had some kind of indication on it that it contains a blood pressure meter because we're starting to build quite a collection of similar sized medical implements that need to be stored away between use.The M3 can store the last 60 results for two people and you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out how this works, there's a big slider switch that moves between number 1 and number 2. The only minor downside of this is that if you want to take the blood pressure of a third person - maybe a friend or other family member, their blood pressure results will appear in the list for user 1 or user 2.The M3 comes supplied with four AA Maxell Alkaline batteries. I have no idea how the lifespan of Maxells compare with the Duracell batteries that come supplied with Braun blood pressure monitors, but you could say that this bit of penny-pinching gets passed through in terms of the cost of the device - Braun make a similar blood pressure meter, it's supplied with two different sized straps while the Omron has just one but the Braun costs a whopping eighty quid.

8.9.2016

I have 5 different blood pressure monitors. They all work well (though I previously had a one-piece Siemens which was expensive and stopped working after not very many uses.)This one is almost identical to one I saw sitting in my GP surgery. It is a two piece device, with the base pumping air into the armband, like the old fashioned type doctors used to use, except all done automatically. This is the most accurate way to measure blood pressure. It means you have to connect the tube between the two parts but that only takes a second or two.Omron makes a range of blood pressure monitors. If you go higher you will get more memory functions which I don't think are worth it.Cheaper ones are just as accurate so long as you get the two piece type but they don't all check the validity of the reading e.g. whether the strap is correctly fastened to the right tension. This one also checks for irregular heart beats, reporting if two or more beats are more than 25% earlier or later than your average.Opening the box, I found it contained 10 little booklets in different languages so I could throw away nine and keep one. Brilliant - why do other products not do this? It also comes with batteries. Thank you Omron for understanding how nice it is to be able to use something straight out of the box.The big question is whether the results can be trusted. I have run comparison tests on my different monitors many times. I found the results varied by about 10mm over a period of a few minutes. This is not the fault of the devices, rather an indication that blood pressure measurements are inherently unreliable. At risk of going into boring detail, here are some comments on the reliability of blood pressure measurements.All BP monitors, as far as I am aware, work on the same principle. They vary the applied pressure and see when the pulse gets through. As the pressure is changing, the result will depend on the precise moment at which your heart beats. The applied pressure changes by about 10mm per second so the reading can be out by up to 10mm if your heart rate is 1 per second. In practice 10mm is the range of variation I have observed. (My pulse is in fact 60 - if yours is different, the accuracy will be fractionally different).If you measure your BP regularly, and it changes over time, you will probably pick up the trend with enough measurements, though you might not pick it up immediately. Try to test at the same time of day in a similar position and make sure you are fully at rest. For example sitting upright will give you a different reading from sitting against a backrest. If you are concerned about the reliability of your measurement, test it 2-3 times in a row. The range you get will be more informative than a single reading.

5.9.2016

What’s good:Simple operationQuiet motor360 degree cuff accuracyBatteries includedWhat’s not so good:Wasteful packagingThis is an updated version of the mid-range tried-and-tested Omron blood pressure monitor. It now features a new design of cuff that purports to be accurate whichever way you have it on your arm, provided you still have it over the bicep about 1-2cm from the inner hinge of your elbow. The connecting tube remains a decent length, and the form factor of the device is the same as it has ever been. The display is LCD and large where it needs to be. There is now a bright green 'OK’ indicator to advise if the cuff is providing suitable data. If the light does not come on then the cuff is not on properly.

30.4.2020

At my last Diabetic review my blood pressure was high and the nurse wanted to put me on tablets for it. I am not keen on the idea and so assured her that the problem was stress and that it would come down (and I was very stressed at the time). She wanted me to return for a second test, but unfortunately (or fortunately) this was prevented by the Coronavirus lockdown.Once I had bought this monitor I could then see exactly what was happening and I loved the fact that I saw this monitor being used on 'GPs Behind Closed Doors' and I watched a programme about Coronavirus during which a medical student also used it. Being of larger proportions, I could have resented the higher price for the larger cuff,

25.8.2016

I had some hypertension many years ago for some unknown reason and while it passed and my blood pressure has been consistently on the average ever since a recent Doctor visit identified it had returned. I therefore thought it a good idea to bag this monitor. I have an existing wrist action device but I haven't made use of it since my practice nurse questioned their accuracy and reliability. When this Omron arrived I was keen to do the recommended three tests. I knew already my latest scores from the last doctor and nurse visit so I was interested to see the results on this little machine.Setting it up is easy enough. You slot in the supplied batteries, push the hose connector into the machine socket on the side,

27.9.2016

I have been using this over the past 3 weeks or so, and it seems to be a consistent and accurate blood pressure meter.The cuff is pre-formed, so just slide it up your arm and close the Velcro, not too tight. The size provided will fit the average person comfortably (rated at 22 to 42cm diameter), and looks like it would open up for a decent set of biceps too. Due to the preformed nature of the cuff there will be a lower limit, children or those with particularly thin arms may have problems. There are clear instructions on the cuff for fitting, and the unit will give feedback on the positioning too.For taking a reading, it is better wait a few minutes after you sit down, sit up straight with your legs uncrossed,

25.8.2016

I have always found keeping track of my blood pressure to be a good idea and this Omron M3 Comfort Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor is a reasonably priced and convenient way of doing this. The accuracy of this new monitor compares very well with my old Tandy upper arm monitor, and also my newish Omron wrist monitor, and the Intelli Wrap Cuff is fairly easy to fit and you can obtain good results with a little bit of practice. This monitor is supplied with the batteries included, and you also get a handy blood pressure diary, the Intelli Wrap upper-arm cuff and a manual which makes it very straightforward to get it up and running.

3.9.2016

Omron is arguably the best name in BPMs. This model offers all the essential features we look for and more.The required four AA batteries are included. Based on experience of our Omron M10-IT, they’ll last quite a while. If you use the machine frequently, though, rechargeables would be a good investment.GOOD=====• 22-42 cm. cuff – suitable for older children and all but the biggest of adults• Pre-formed cuff is much easier to use without help than standard cuffs• “Intelli Wrap” means location on arm is not critical• Straightforward operation• Accurate (against our Omron M10-IT which we checked with our doctor’s machine).• Consistent,

28.8.2016

The Omron M3 Comfort is an automatic home blood pressure monitor which measures at the upper arm (and is thus more reliable than those which measure at the wrist). The system comprises a white base unit which takes 4 AA batteries (supplied), and a cuff with rubber hosing which attaches into the base unit. The cuff has the facility to identify if it is fastened incorrectly, thus reducing the likelihood of inaccurate readings. I do find the cuff rather long - it has to be positioned 1-2cm above the elbow and is 15cm 'tall', which covers pretty much my entire upper arm, so I guess that this may possibly be an issue for anyone with particularly short stature?The monitor is very simple to operate - simply fit the cuff to your upper left arm with the tubing facing your hand,

24.3.2018

The main selling point of this device compared to other devices or cheaper Omron devices (like M2 or M1 models) is the better arm cuff, which should reduce the number of false readings, occurring typically when traditional cuffs are not positioned properly.The Omron "Intelli Wrap cuff" is semi-rigid all around (standard arm cuffs only have a measurement area in one section, with the rest being fabric), and therefore can take measurements regardless on how the cuff is rotated around the arm.In addition, there is a green light on the device indicating whether the cuff is positioned properly or not. I thought that light would be active as soon as the cuff is placed,

6.9.2016

I have never used one of these before and was very pleased to have an opportunity to review this one as I am getting on and not so fit. Being one of those folks who is always a bit nervous when the doctor does the BP thing, it always reads a little high, so having my own kit at home is a blessing.The first thing I liked about it is that the cuff actually fits my arm. I am a big girl and normally need a larger size - but not with this. It is one size pretty much fits all. It was firm, but comfortable, with a velcro closure, which I found fairly easy to put on and secure with one hand.I am finding it very useful as it gives me an accurate baseline reading when I am not stressed and I am able to confirm it with repeated readings on different days and at different times.

4.4.2018

Good product let down by the batteries supplied.I was using this Omron M3 for about a week when I noticed the "half battery" icon. Omron state that the battery life should be about 1000 tests.I contacted Amazon for advice and they sent me a replacement.The first time I used it I got the "half battery" again. I replaced the rubbish Toshiba Carbon Zinc batteries (as supplied) with Duracell Ultra Power.Same problem.I sent an email to Omron and they replied very quickly.The "half battery" icon is displayed when you start your test but it should go out. If it stays on the batteries need changing.Problem solved, so no need to return the second one.The points I made to Omron, in my follow up email,

18.9.2016

This Omron blood pressure monitor is an upgrade from a model we tested about 18 months ago. It's the same brand and has many of the same features (auto-inflation, quick read cycle, large, easy to see display). In common with the older machine, it's nicely made, simple to use, compact and well packaged. The main difference with the newer M3 version is two-fold. Firstly it's supposed to have enhanced comfort. Secondly, it has an irregular heartbeat detector. I'm not the best person to comment on the former as I tend to find all BP readings uncomfortable - even when a professional is doing it - but I did think it was marginally less squeezy than the earlier model.

Omron M3 Comfort - Reviews

Info

Analysis

Detail